ition, ready wit, and quickness at repartee, soon
gained him a host of friends on the playground; while his evident
desire to make progress in his studies,--wherein he had a stimulus
unsuspected by any one but Bill,--his sturdy truthfulness, and general
obedience to rules and regulations, won him golden opinions from those
in authority. Ambition, whether for greater or lesser aims, was Jim's
ruling passion, and now he had so many spurs to urge him on; for, added
to his own personal aspirations and the determination to prove himself
a credit to his benefactors, was the overwhelming desire to outstrip
Theodore, and wrest from him the prize.

Milly noticed, whenever he reported progress to her, that there was a
certain sort of repressed excitability about him, a wistful nervousness
very foreign to his assured independence and self-confidence, and he
several times seemed as if he were going to make some disclosure to
her; all of which made his young mistress think that he had something
on his mind which he was half inclined to impart to her, although he
could not quite resolve to do so. She bided her time, however, being
sure that it would come sooner or later, and only now and then tried to
open the way by asking him if he had any thing further to tell her.

But the only result of this would be a shame-faced embarrassment and a
sheepish denial, followed by an evident desire to cut short the
interview.

When Jim had been at school about a month, making, according to the
reports of his teachers, who were closely questioned by uncle
Rutherford, fair progress with his studies, and showing a self-command
and control over his temper which had not been expected from him after
the fiery outburst of the first day, an incident occurred which would
have afforded him an opportunity for mortifying Theodore, had he not
been restrained by a motive which was stronger than his antagonism to
his rival.

The vagaries and peculiarities of Captain Yorke, with his ignorance and
indifference to city ways and manners, had more than once drawn public
notice upon him; the episode of Daisy as a peanut-vender, with the old
sailor as her aider and abetter, being but a trifling circumstance
compared to some others; and Mrs. Yorke was in constant terror lest he
should in some way make himself more notorious than would prove
agreeable.

About this time, a celebrated actor was performing in the city in the
farce of "Dundreary Married," wherein Lord